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This indicates whether the battery is being charged or discharged. In the adjacent picture, the ammeter is marked "Alternator" and the symbols are "C" (charge) and "D" (discharge). Both ammeters and voltmeters individually or together can be used to assess the operating state of an automobile battery and charging system.
The actual voltage, matching the car battery's voltage, will be approximately 12.5 volts when dormant (less in cold conditions), approximately 14.5 volts when the engine and the alternator/generator are operating (more when cold), and may briefly drop as low as 5–6 volts during engine start due to the high temporary battery current usage. [12]
Alternator (silver) mounted on a V8 engine. An alternator is a type of electric generator used in modern automobiles to charge the battery and to power the electrical system when its engine is running. Until the 1960s, automobiles used DC dynamo generators with commutators.
Alternator mounted on an automobile engine with a serpentine belt pulley (belt not present.) Alternators are used in modern internal combustion engine automobiles to charge the battery and to power the electrical system when its engine is running. [citation needed] Until the 1960s, automobiles used DC dynamo generators with commutators.
A typical 12 V, 40 Ah lead-acid car battery. An automotive battery, or car battery, is a rechargeable battery that is used to start a motor vehicle.. Its main purpose is to provide an electric current to the electric-powered starting motor, which in turn starts the chemically-powered internal combustion engine that actually propels the vehicle.
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A battery isolator is an electrical device that divides direct current (DC) into multiple branches and only allows current in one direction in each branch. The primary benefit of such an arrangement is the ability to simultaneously charge more than one battery from a single power source (e.g., an alternator) without connecting the battery terminals together in parallel.
A simple charger typically does not alter its output based on charging time or the charge on the battery. This simplicity means that a simple charger is inexpensive, but there are tradeoffs. Typically, a carefully designed simple charger takes longer to charge a battery because it is set to use a lower (i.e., safer) charging rate.